Learn The Best Information For Making Your House A Greener House

by Gary Greenman

Are you interested in making your house more energy efficient and green? With rising energy costs and sky high utility bills, most of us are looking for ways to cut costs and save some money. You can start right at home, by making a few easy changes to make your home energy efficient and more eco friendly. But beyond energy efficiency, there are several other important factors that go into the model of a green house. For instance, water conservation, indoor air quality, and the use of safer constructing materials can all contribute to a more eco-friendly house. This applies to new construction, as well as renovating and greening an older house for improvement and sale. Here’s a list of some of the factors to consider when remodeling your house, or purchasing a green home. Proper Ventilation – The house should have the right number and placement of exhaust fans, proper ventilation, vapor barriers, and duct sealing. A well designed thermal envelope can make the residence more comfortable and electricity efficient. Ventilation systems should be wrapped and sealed to stop air loss. Air Quality – To make the residence healthier, safe constructing materials should be utilized to limit introduction of harmful and harmful vapors. For instance, use zero-VOC or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, and put in recycled, reclaimed, or sustainable flooring prepared from materials that don’t have formaldehyde, such as bamboo or cork. Think about installing physical termite barriers instead of chemical treatments, where appropriate. Water Efficiency – Think about installing dual-flush toilets, low- flow wash heads, and a tankless water heater, or at a minimum; a more electricity efficient Energy Star rated model. Insulation – One of the top choices a consumer can make is to install additional insulation. Use formaldehyde-free insulation. As well, install a radiant barrier on the underside of the roof, where suitable. Roofing – Consider metal or cement tile roofing, or durable shingles rated for 40 years or more. Appliances and Furnaces – Use Energy Star rated appliances. The HVAC (air conditioning) systems ought to have a 17 SEER rating or better, and furnaces should have a 90+ rating. The heating and cooling unit range and assignment ought to be correctly thought out to increase efficiency. Lighting – Install electricity efficient fixtures. Compact fluorescent light bulbs ought to be used in place of halogen or normal bulbs. Windows and Doors – Install double-paned, Low-E windows. Properly shade windows that face the sun, or install window overhangs. Install storm doors where suitable. Thermostat Timers – Install a programmable thermostat and hot water heater timer. Exterior – Think about installing low upkeep materials that make sense for your climate and area, such as fiber cement siding, 40-year shingles, and engineered wood framing. Landscaping – Eco landscaping considers cautious assortment of plants, and concentrates on water management. Use green landscape design activities, such as reducing the dimension of the lawn. Consider the correct placement of trees to help shade the house and decrease cooling costs. Utilize hardscape materials to reduce weeds and eliminate the use of pesticides and herbicides. Use local plants and xeriscape techniques to avoid the need for too much care and watering. Compost. Install drip irrigation systems and think about reclaiming water. You will see that from top to bottom, you can look at your whole house indoors and out to look for potential improvements to make it more eco friendly. It’s not too hard to make your existing residence a green home. By making at least a few simple changes to improve electricity efficiency, in no time you will see the positive results in your utility bills. Plus, you have the extra benefit of knowing that you are doing more for the environment at the same time, and that always feels nice.